Page 14 of Moonlit Bonds

With the window rolled down, and my father’s nose deeply inhaling the scent on the breeze, I follow his directions.

The trail between trees slowly widens into a recently used dirt path wide enough for a vehicle to pass through. Branches and brambles scratch the sides of the truck through our passage.

“Just a little bit further.” Dad scrunches his eyes shut and inhales deeply again. His face screws into a frown. “Hurry. Something’s…wrong. I can feel it.”

Within minutes the path opens up into a small clearing on a hill’s rise and tucked against the hill is a cabin. A fucking cabin I know nothing about, right there on the edge of pack land. Thereare about five trucks and cars parked out front, and I recognize them all. They belong to members of our pack.

Dad and I exchange knowing looks.

“Well I’ll be damned,” he says. “Looks like your pack knew where Gloria might be holding her after all.”

6

SERAPHINA

Icome to, my head poundingfrom that knockout punch, only to find myself tied to a wooden chair—my hands bound behind me and my legs tied tightly to the wood. Woozy, I struggle against the ropes, the coarse material biting into my skin.

The pain clears my head a little.

How long have I been out?

The paint is peeling off the walls of the cabin and the curtains hang heavy with dust and cobwebs. The window is too dirty for me to see out, while most of the furniture is covered by white sheets. Several tracks, wolf and human, cut through the grime on the wooden floors.

The one room cabin hasn’t been used in quite some time.

Attempting to stretch out my hands, my fingers tingle from the lack of blood circulation and their odd angle, while pins and needles poke my legs.Surely my magic can spark now.I can’t be useless.

Magic requires only words and intent, just like it has been passed down throughout millennia, but still nothing springs forth, despite my desperation.

Help, there has to be a way to summon help.

What had Kieran said about magic and tribal land? It doesn’t work here. I groan, my head lolling to the side. There must be some spell in place that inhibits it…which means I’m a sitting duck.

“What is our poor little bitchy witchy trying to do?” Gloria goads me. She steps up from the left and slowly her figure separates itself from the growing shadows inside the cabin. Another sneer twists her features. “Have you figured out that your magic can’t do crap here?” She laughs as if madness has taken her over entirely. “Once you are out of the picture, Kieran will be mine.”

“Kieran will never fall for this,” I argue.

“What? I am beautiful and single lady will be at his beck and call. Once you’re gone, he will do whatever he can to possess me. I’m just his type. And once he has me, he won’t miss you. No one will miss you. I’m going to bury you in the garden and then fuck him on the plot for good measure.”

I gasp. Yeah, she’s certainly sprung a leak. I struggle against the restraints as Gloria heads toward the front door, grabbing a shovel and dragging it behind her for pure theatrics, I’m sure. Heat courses through me.

I can’t die like this. I won’t.

Maybe witchy magic doesn’t work, but I’m bound to Kieran. He’s the Alpha. Surely his magical spark will help me.We’re connected to each other, the energy tethering us and making us equals. It has to count for something. It has to count foreverything.

I close my eyes, struggling to block out the fear and pain and focusing on the thread of energy between us. Slowly, I start to chant the spell.

“Invisible string that pulls us together,

Knotted, sealed, forever,

Sanction me with your holy seal

To break forth these restraints with zeal

Drawing on the magic of mine,

Which is the Alpha of the Great Pine.”

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